Fluid product dispenser with gripping member

ABSTRACT

A fluid dispenser comprising:  
     a flexible pouch containing a fluid, said pouch being provided with an opening;  
     a pouch support to which the opening of the pouch is fixed; and  
     a dispensing member, such as a pump, for drawing off fluid from the flexible pouch when a pusher is pressed;  
     said flexible pouch not being provided with a rigid shell surrounding or enclosing the flexible pouch, said fluid dispenser being characterized in that it further comprises handle means via which the dispenser is held for the purpose of pressing on the pusher, said handle means leaving the flexible pouch apparent, at least in part.

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising aflexible pouch containing fluid, a flexible pouch support to which thepouch is fixed, e.g. by sealing, and a dispensing member such as a pumpfor drawing off fluid from the flexible pouch when a pusher is pressed.

[0002] In the prior art, numerous dispensers exist that use flexiblepouches and pumps. In general, the flexible pouch is positioned inside arigid shell which serves firstly to protect the flexible pouch andsecondly to make it easier to take hold of the dispenser. If the rigidshell is removed from such a dispenser, it becomes very difficult tohold its flexible pouch because of the floppy and deformable nature ofthe flexible pouch. It is therefore almost impossible to use such adispenser in the absence of the rigid shell. This applies particularlywhen the flexible pouch is made up of laminated sheets of material thatoffer only very limited stiffness.

[0003] An object of the present invention is to define a dispenser thathas a flexible pouch with no rigid shell and that is easy to hold forthe purpose of pressing on the pusher to actuate the pump.

[0004] To this end, the present invention provides a fluid dispenserhaving the characteristics of claim 1. Claim 1 defines genuine handlemeans that differ clearly from a prior art rigid shell precisely becausethere is no rigid shell surrounding or enclosing a flexible pouch in thedispenser of the present invention.

[0005] In a first embodiment, the handle means are situated outside theflexible pouch.

[0006] Advantageously, the handle means comprise a plurality of handles.Preferably, the handles are situated substantially symmetrically oneither side of the dispensing member. A particularity of the presentinvention lies in the fact that each handle is suitable for being heldby a respective finger of a hand. In a particularly advantageousembodiment, there are two handles suitable for being held respectivelyby the index finger and by the middle finger, the thumb serving toactuate the pusher. The distributor is then used in the manner of aconventional syringe for which the index finger and the middle fingeroppose the thumb to exert pressure.

[0007] In a practical embodiment, the handles are implemented in theform of holes through which the fingers can pass. In a variant, thehandles are implemented in the form of notches for the fingers. Inanother embodiment, the handles are implemented in the form of twoarcuate tabs that can be held by means of two fingers.

[0008] According to a characteristic of the invention, the handle meansare fixed to the pouch support. Advantageously, the handle means aremade integrally with the pouch support. In certain embodiments, thehandle means surround that portion of the pouch support to which thepouch is fixed.

[0009] Another embodiment of the invention makes provision for thehandle means to comprise a substantially rigid element disposed insidethe flexible pouch. It is then possible to take hold of the dispenser bythe pouch which has stiffness imparted to it by the rigid element. Theadvantage of this embodiment is that it does not adversely affect theappearance of the dispenser because it is totally invisible. Inaddition, the flexible pouch always retains the same presentableappearance. Advantageously, said substantially rigid element isconnected to the pouch support. In addition, said substantially rigidelement extends along the opposite side edges of the flexible pouch.

[0010] The spirit of the invention lies in the fact that the dispenserhaving a flexible pouch is of minimalist design, i.e. it incorporatesonly those component elements which are essential for using it. To thisend, the conventional rigid shell is omitted and replaced by suitablehandle means making the dispenser convenient to use.

[0011] The invention is described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying drawings which give embodiments of the present invention byway of non-limiting example.

[0012] In the drawings:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a front view of a dispenser of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a vertical section view through the top portion of thedispenser of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the FIG. 1 view, butshowing a second embodiment of a dispenser of the invention;

[0017]FIG. 5 is a vertical section view through a dispenser in a thirdembodiment of the invention;

[0018]FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the dispenserof FIG. 5; and

[0019]FIGS. 7 and 8 are section views through two other embodiments ofthe invention.

[0020] In all of the embodiments shown in the figures, the fluiddispenser of the invention comprises a flexible pouch 1 containingfluid, a pouch support 2 to which the flexible pouch 1 is fixed, usuallyby sealing, and a dispensing member 3, preferably a pump, for drawingoff fluid from the flexible pouch.

[0021] The flexible pouch is made of a flexible material whose capacityfor being held in the hand is very poor. This capacity for being held inthe hand is not sufficient to enable the pump to be actuated.

[0022] For example, the flexible pouch 1 may be made up of two sheets ofa heat-sealable composite that are connected together by sealing aroundthe periphery except at an opening serving to be sealed to the pouchsupport 2.

[0023] To this end, the pouch support 2 is provided with a sealableappendage 21, advantageously provided with sealable ribs 211 to whichthe opening of the pouch 1 is sealed. Above the sealable appendage 211,the pouch support 2 defines a platform 2 from which a fixing bushing 23provided with a snap-fastening profile 231 projects upwards. The pump 3is provided with or includes a fixing ring 32 internally forming asnap-fastening profile 34 serving to co-operate with the profile 231 ofthe bushing 23. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the fixing ring32 internally forms a snap-fastening bead 34 serving to come intoengagement under a rim 231 that projects outwards.

[0024] Once the pump 3 is fitted to the pouch support to which theflexible pouch is sealed, the dispenser is operational and it ispossible to dispense fluid by actuating the pump by pressing on thepusher 35.

[0025] This is an entirely conventional design for a dispenser having aflexible fluid pouch that is normally provided with a rigid shell insidewhich the flexible pouch is placed.

[0026] In the present invention, the rigid shell is omitted and replacedby handle means 4 that leave the flexible pouch entirely or at leastpartially apparent.

[0027] In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6, the handle means 4 aresituated outside the pouch, so that it is not necessary to take hold ofthe dispenser by the pouch.

[0028] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the handle means 4 arein the form of a one-piece body, e.g. made of a molded plasticsmaterial, forming a plurality of handles 42, two such members beingformed in these embodiments. More precisely, the body 4 comprises aplate 41 that is substantially eye-shaped, as shown in FIG. 3, and fromwhich a peripheral skirt 44 extends downwards. The plate 41 is providedwith a through hole in its center, through which the fixing bushing 23extends, and through which the fixing ring 32 may optionally extend. Thebody 4 forms two opposite portions that are thinner and that areprovided with respective handle holes 42 formed as shown in FIG. 1. Thehandle holes 42 are situated substantially on either side of the pump 3and of the pouch support 2. The peripheral skirt 44 has a height suchthat the body masks the top portion of the flexible pouch 2 where itsopening is fixed to the sealable appendage 21.

[0029] The body 4 is fixed to the dispenser by any mechanical means,e.g. by snap-fastening, as shown in FIG. 4. The body internally forms asnap-fastening profile 45 serving to co-operate with the platform 22formed by the pouch support 2. The snap-fastening profile 45 comes intoengagement under the platform 22, and the plate 41 of the body 4 acts asan abutment surface for fixing the body permanently to the pouch support2. Naturally, this snap-fastening technique makes it quick and simple tofit the body 4 and requires only a limited amount of tooling.

[0030] In a variant shown in FIG. 4, the handle holes are replaced withhandle notches 42.

[0031] In these embodiments, regardless of whether they have handleholes or handle notches 42, it is easy to take hold of the dispenser byusing two fingers, e.g. the index finger and the middle finger, whichare placed in the holes or notches 42, and the dispenser is actuated bymeans of the thumb that is pressed against the pusher 35. The device isthus easy to hold without having to hold it by its pouch, whose capacityfor being held in the hand is poor.

[0032] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the handle 4 forms twotabs 42 that extend over circular arcs in opposite directions. The tabs42 serve as handle elements that are held using two fingers of one hand,in general the index finger and the middle finger, so as to leave thethumb free for pressing on the pusher 35. The two tabs 42 thus take upthe reaction force opposing the force exerted on the pusher 35. It isthus possible to actuate the dispenser by using only three fingers.

[0033] The tabs 42 thus extend over circular arcs on either side of thepump 3 in diametrically opposite manner. Naturally, it is possible toimagine variants in which the two tabs 42 are not disposed exactlysymmetrically relative to the pump 3. The two tabs 42 are fixed eitherto the pouch support member or directly to the pump 3. The two tabs 42may be formed integrally with one of those two elements, but preferablythe two tabs 42 are fixed to a holding plate 41 that serves for fixingto the dispenser. In advantageous and practical manner, the tabs 42 andthe holding plate 41 are molded in one piece, e.g. of a plasticsmaterial. For fixing the holding plate 41 to the dispenser, it ispossible to use any technique, such as, for example, screw-fastening,snap-fastening, or indeed sealing. In the preferred embodiment shown inthe accompanying drawings, the support plate 41 forms a snap-fasteningrecess 43 serving to co-operate with the pouch support member 2,advantageously at its bushing 22. As shown more particularly in FIG. 2,the recess 43 is open so that the holding plate 41 may be snap-fastenedto the bushing 22 by sliding it sideways, thereby momentarily enlargingthe opening of the recess 43 as the plate 41 passes over the maximumdiameter of the busing 22. Beyond the maximum diameter of the bushing22, the opening of the recess 43 becomes smaller again so as to clampthe bushing 22. Naturally, it is possible to imagine a holding plate 41provided with a closed recess 43 so that the plate 41 can be put inplace on the bushing 22 by engaging it from above before the pump is putin place. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the bushing 22 forms anexternal peripheral bead 23 under which the plate 41 is snap-fastened.As shown, the plate 41 is snap-fastened in a recess formed by theappendage 21 and by the bead 23. Naturally, it is possible to imaginevariants in which the bushing 22 is not provided with such asnap-fastening bead 23 but is exactly cylindrical so that the plate 41with a closed recess 43 is engaged from above onto the bushing 22 andthe plate 41 is fixed permanently by the bottom end 33 of the fixingring 32 of the pump 3. This applies in FIG. 5, in which it is possibleto omit the bead 23.

[0034] With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, two other embodiments are shown,in which the handle means are disposed inside the flexible pouch 1 sothat they are not visible and therefore do not adversely affect theappearance of the dispenser. In both versions, the handle means comprisea substantially rigid element 4 that imparts stiffness to the flexiblepouch 1 so that it is possible to take hold of it without it deformingtoo much. In addition, it thus retains a substantially identical shapeeven when it is empty or nearly empty. To impart such stiffness to thepouch, the rigid element 4 may, for example, extend along the oppositeside edges of the pouch, thereby forming an internal frame. In FIG. 7,the element is a U-shaped element with the web disposed at the bottom ofthe pouch, whereas, in FIG. 8, the rigid element 4 is connected to thepouch support 2.

1/ A fluid dispenser comprising: a flexible pouch containing a fluid,said pouch being provided with an opening; a pouch support to which theopening of the pouch is fixed; and a dispensing member, such as a pump,for drawing off fluid from the flexible pouch when a pusher is pressed;said flexible pouch not being provided with a rigid shell surrounding orenclosing the flexible pouch, handle means being provided via which thedispenser is held for the purpose of pressing on the pusher, said handlemeans leaving the flexible pouch apparent, at least in part, the handlemeans being situated outside the flexible pouch, said fluid dispenserbeing characterized in that the handle means comprise a plurality ofhandles situated substantially symmetrically on either side of thedispensing member, each handle being suitable for being held by arespective finger of a hand. 2/ A dispenser according to claim 1, inwhich there are two handles suitable for being held respectively by theindex finger and by the middle finger, the thumb serving to actuate thepusher. 3/ A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which thehandle means are fixed to the pouch support. 4/ A dispenser according toany preceding claim, in which the handle means are made integrally withthe pouch support. 5/ A dispenser according to any preceding claim, inwhich the handle means surround that portion of the pouch support towhich the pouch is fixed. 6/ A dispenser according to any precedingclaim, in which the handles are implemented in the form of holes ornotches (42) through which the fingers can pass. 7/ A dispenseraccording to any preceding claim, in which the flexible pouch has acapacity to be held in the hand that is insufficient for actuating thedispensing member. 8/ A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5,in which the handles are implemented in the form of two arcuate tabsthat can be held by means of two fingers.